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Tea party fine upheld by Colo. appeals court

PUEBLO — The Colorado Court of Appeals has upheld a $10,000 campaign finance fine against the Southern Colorado Tea Party.

Wednesday’s court order means the group will have to pay the fine for failing to file campaign finance reports about political contributions in 2010. The group unsuccessfully claimed that it was not a political committee and didn’t need to file the finance reports.

The Pueblo Chieftain reports (http://bit.ly/14t7WLX ) that the appeals court upheld an administrative law judge’s decision in May 2012 that imposed the $10,000 fine as well as $9,700 in attorney fees.

Group board member Randy Scott told the newspaper that the organization doesn’t raise money and doesn’t have the $10,000.